Memory and Hope - Wesley United Church - Final Sermon
SERMON: “Memory and Hope”
by Rev. Louise Rutledge, preached at Wesley United Church’s well-attended final service in its building at Superior & Cayuga; August 15, 2010, 2:30pm
Since most of us are not quite old enough to remember the beginnings of Wesley United Church,
please allow me to share a bit of history with you,
much of which I gleaned from a history of Wesley UC, written by the late Margaret Chandler.
If you were to look into the family tree of Wesley United Church,
you would find that Wesley’s grandparent church is Wellington Methodist Church.
From this one ancestor, two offspring were born,
Colborne St. and Brant Avenue Methodist Churches.
In 1890 Colborne St. Methodist Church gave birth to the Huron Street Mission
which grew up to become Wesley Methodist Church.
“In accordance with the request of the Church Extension Society,
Colborne Street Methodist Church appointed a Trustee Board
which included the following from Eagle Place:
George Wedlake, Edwin Passmore, T.S. Linscott and H.F. Merrill.
This Board was to buy a lot, then build and organize the Mission.
A lot was quickly secured from the Nelles Estate for $300.00
with its location close to the end of the street car line.”
The total price, including real estate, contractors’ fees, and furnishings,
was about $2,000.00, which was completely raised in subscriptions at the opening service.
That first building still stands on Cayuga Street, between Erie Ave and Huron St.
and is now the home of the Spiritualist Church.
By 1893 the Circuit Register showed 93 members.
Within six years,
“Two serious problems gradually confronted the church.
Some industrial plants, especially the Cockshutt Plow Company, were expanding;
this meant more homes and people in Eagle Place
which led naturally to marked increase in attendance in the Church and Sunday School,
the [Sunday School] now with 260 on the roll.
The little church was ‘bursting at the seams’
and the congregation was demanding expansion.
However, an act of Nature prevented the planned building out toward Huron Street.
Every spring, the Grand River flooded into Eagle Place (there was no dyke then)
and the church auditorium became half full of water.
The church was forced to move to higher ground.
George Wedlake, with astute Christian foresight, was prepared –
he had foreseen such a crisis and had ready desirable property ‘up the hill’
on safe ground at the south-west corner of Cayuga and Superior Streets.
In 1899, the church purchased this site on which to build a new church.
The cost was $375.00.
Great enthusiasm took hold of the congregation
with unbounded faith in God and the prosperity and future of Eagle Place.
On June 3, 1903, the Rev. D.A. Moir, President of Hamilton Conference,
presided at an impressive ceremony
when George Wedlake, Recording Steward and Sunday School Superintendant, laid the corner stone.
He was ably assisted by Edwin Passmore, a prominent church member,
who laid a memorial stone which was to link the old with the new church.
In the corner stone were sealed copies of [various publications and other items of historical significance.]
In 1903, an imposing, fine red brick church [in the Neo-Romanesque style],
with a corner tower
slowly rose on the hill to provide a family church for hundreds of residents of Eagle Place.
The total cost of the land, church and equipment was $10,000.00.
The church was ideally situated in about the centre of a growing Eagle Place.
Since this church was not adjoining Huron Street,
it was decided to name it Wesley Methodist Church.
On December 13, 1903, the church was opened for public worship.
It was a red letter day in Wesley’s history.
Unfavourable weather conditions prevailed –
very cold with ice-covered streets and a terrible gale blowing.
In spite of this, the people flocked to the two services.
The church could seat 450, but there were at least 600 at each service.
The Rev. H.B. Christie was in charge
with the Rev. W.B. Caswell of Hamilton preaching both sermons.
Special music was rendered, directed by the organist, Joseph Lamb.
Before the opening, some $3,000.00 had already been subscribed to the building fund
and at the opening services, $7,800.00 was raised in cash and subscriptions,
totalling more than the initial cost.
In the afternoon, a special service was held with the Rev. G.K.B. Adams,
chairman of Brantford Methodist District, preaching.
He presented the church with a beautiful Pulpit Bible and Hymn Book.
Also presented were the clock, pulpit and pulpit chairs,
the gift of John Wedlake, father of Wesley’s benefactor, George Wedlake.
The gifts, the inspiring services and sermons, the crowds filling the beautiful new church,
and the total amount of the cost subscribed,
all these created a wonderful opening day for Wesley.
On the following Sunday, December 20, 1903, the church was dedicated to the glory of God
by the Rev. D.A. Moir, President of Hamilton Conference.”
A new beginning.
Already by 1906, and extension was needed.
You see, industry was booming in this area around the turn of the century,
so the population was growing;
and Wesley was the centre of all the social activities in Eagle Place
in those pre-radio, pre-TV, pre-computer days,
so nearly all the young people of Eagle Place were members of the church.
The young people formed a special Bible Class called “3M”
(meaning training for Muscle, Mind and Morals)
and they met every Sunday afternoon in their own special room in the church.
Later that year, a special 3M room was built behind the church.
Growth was so rapid that by 1911, the decision needed to be made to expand the building,
and in 1912 the enlarged sanctuary was opened, now seating 836.
A new pipe organ was included in the expansion as a gift of Mrs. George Wedlake.
The total cost of the expansion was about $21,000.00,
and once again, the congregation collected enough to meet its financial obligation.
Growth continued so that in 1928, the decision was made to construct a building to house the Sunday School.
Sunday School attendance was tremendous, difficult for most of us to imagine now.
The highest attendance on a regular Sunday was 767, spiking to over 1000 on Special Sundays.
They had started using the little cottage behind the church for some of the classes.
The Sunday School pledged to raise $15,000.00 for the project within 3 years.
Within a year, they had raised more than half of that,
and the following year exceeded their pledge, despite the Depression.
The Sunday School then took on the obligation
of paying the interest on the building mortgage, which was paid off by 1945.
At the time of construction of the Sunday School building in 1933,
much of the work was done by members of the congregation who were out of work at the time.
It was quite a structure:
a large auditorium with a gallery on three sides, a well-equipped kitchen,
a second-floor gymnasium, and classrooms.
It was also in 1933 that Frank Holton became the Music Director at Wesley.
Music had always been an important part of the life of Wesley,
but under Frank Holton’s leadership the music was astounding.
The choir grew into three divisions:
a senior choir of over 50 members,
and intermediate and junior choirs added about that many more.
The choirs won many awards at Music Festivals,
they were often broadcast on the radio,
and performed a great many concerts.
By gathering a collection of a nickel a week from each choir member,
the choir was able to raise enough money to purchase cathedral chimes for the organ.
There was also a 25-piece Sunday School Orchestra, led by Ernie Huntington,
which accompanied the singing of the Sunday School
all gathered in the auditorium, reading the words projected on the wall.
(That, of course, wasn’t done with PowerPoint and digital projector.)
The late Jack Passmore reminisced as follows:
“Our Superintendent, Mr. Day,
would amble across the street every Sunday
to finalize the afternoon program with my Dad who led the singing.
This frequently meant a new chorus to be taught.
I would have to print the words with a pencil on a slide,
a 3-inch square of glass coated with a white liquid.
The singing of choruses was an important part of the program;
they had a deep religious fervour that stayed in your mind forever.
Sunday School then was an afternoon of excitement,
hundreds of people packed in together with rousing choruses being sung,
down-to-earth Methodist principles being taught,
memory work, signing the pledge and watching the girls.”
“For about 15 years in the 1930s and 1940s,
Wesley Sunday School became known far and wide for its impressive Anniversary Services
followed by outstanding pageants during the week.
A large choir loft was built over the organ and clear across to the side walls.
In front was a large platform, 50’ by 16’.
The loft and platform would accommodate over 500 young people.”
With so many people involved in the life of Wesley United Church,
there were many organizations to which one could belong:
Explorers, CGIT (Canadian Girls in Training), Wesley Summer Club, Cubs & Scouts,
Tuxis and Trail Rangers, Young Wesleyans, Carpet Ball Club, Straightshooters Club,
Bound to Win Class, 3M Class, Young Peoples Union, Epworth League,
Wesley Brotherhood, Builders Class, Hustlers Men’s Club, Monday Night Club,
Tennis Club, Badminton Club, Wesley Girls Club, Children’s Mission Band,
Pleasant Sunday Afternoon Club, various sports teams,
AOTS (As One That Serves) United Church Men,
and of course the UCW (United Church Women).
The UCW was inaugurated in 1962,
when the Women’s Association, the Women’s Missionary Society, and the Evening Auxiliary
were integrated for the purpose of uniting all the women of the congregation
for the total mission of the church.
Mrs. Lois Holton was the first [UCW] President
with 194 charter members divided into ten units.
The UCW has always been a tremendous work-force within the church,
tirelessly and creatively raising large sums of money for the work of the church,
and really living out the mission and outreach of the congregation.
They have visited members of the congregation who have been sick or shut-in.
They annually give a generous donation into the congregation’s general fund,
and have supported a variety of community organizations, such as:
Operation Lift, Nova Vita, Christmas Baskets, Brantwood Centre,
Habitat for Humanity, Sleeping Children,
also Five Oaks Christian Centre, Ryerson Camp,
the Layman’s Foundation, and the Francis Sandy Centre.
They have also contributed to the United Church of Canada’s Mission and Service Fund,
and the World Development and Relief Fund,
so their contributions have been far-reaching.
Involvement in the various groups clearly shaped the lives of the people of this congregation.
In 1950, the Rev. Leslie Ballantyne offered these words to the congregation:
“It is recorded in the Historical sketch of the Golden Jubilee Book of Wesley Church
that the pioneers ‘Builded well… even better that they knew.’
How true!
They builded well in Church buildings and Church equipment.
But other foundations, too, they laid, which have proven even more enduring…
the foundations of Christian character, sacrificial services and devotion to the cause of Christ.
And our task today in 1950 is, indeed, to follow in the path of those pioneers:
not blindly, nor looking only to the past,
but with the same courage and devotion in our hearts.
The years that lie ahead will not be easy for any church or any congregation of God’s people.
The Faith of our Fathers will be put to the test as never before.
Let us, then, resolve to hold fast that which was good in the past,
and press forward to the great adventure ahead,
exercising the same kind of courage, devotion and faith found in our fathers.”
It’s as though Rev. Leslie Ballantyne were speaking these words to us 60 years later.
The whole church has an adventure ahead of it in a rapidly changing world.
The whole church must walk out into uncharted territory with courage and faith
as we figure out how to be Christ’s faithful disciples in a very different world.
But Rev. Ballantyne’s words also ring true to the Wesley congregation.
We have a new adventure ahead of us,
a new beginning that requires us to exercise the same kind of courage, devotion & faith
as our forefathers and foremothers in this place.
This place, this church building, is filled with reminders of the generations that preceded the current one.
We see pictures on the walls, names in the stained-glass windows and engraved on furnishings.
Even some of the enduring traditions have been shaped by people who were here long ago.
Sometimes we’ve forgotten who started the traditions,
and sometimes when we follow the traditions, we remember the people.
Who did we think of whenever we decorated the sanctuary?
The church building holds memories for us,
memories of some of the key moments in our lives:
weddings, baptisms, confirmations, funerals;
memories of special worship experiences:
magnificent Anniversary services, cantatas, the Singing Christmas Tree,
Christmas Eve services amidst beautiful decorations & candles in lampstands along the aisles,
Easter services with the choir singing under the Lily Cross.
The church building holds memories of groups we belonged to, classes we were part of,
meals we served or ate, music we made or listened to, and social gatherings we attended;
memories of the lessons we learned, the fun we had and even the mischief we got into;
and most of all, memories of the people we have known and loved.
Yes, church buildings hold all these memories for us.
Maybe that’s why church buildings are so big. J
However, church buildings are not intended to be museums for our memories of the past.
Church buildings should serve the needs of the congregation
as it serves Christ’s mission in caring for the needs of the community.
The Wesley people have done this well in the past and recently, too,
but we no longer have a Sunday School of 700 people,
we no longer have a congregation large enough to pack this sanctuary twice each Sunday,
we no longer have enough people to raise the money we need to cover our regular costs
let alone the costs of renovating or rebuilding.
We have tried valiantly,
but recently it has felt more like the congregation has been serving the needs of the building
instead of the building serving the needs of the congregation.
The people of this little congregation have given much, both financially and of themselves,
to maintain this place, and it seems it’s never enough.
This is a big old building!
We have acknowledged that, as much as we love this big old building dedicated to the glory of God,
the beauty of this sanctuary with its pipe organ and wonderful acoustics
and beautiful stained glass windows,
as much as we love this building and all the memories it holds,
the church is the people, not the building,
and the time has come for our little congregation let go of the burden of maintaining this building,
and join with another group of faithful people at St. Andrew’s
with whom we share a vision of ministry and mission.
By coming together in faith, we find hope for our future.
We do not cease to be shaped by the faith of our forefathers & foremothers,
(it’s as though we’ve inherited their genes)
and we carry our memories with us,
and yet, in this new beginning, we become a new creation in Christ.
And this church building, built by our forefathers and foremothers,
with its new beginning will also become a new creation in Christ,
as the Brant Community Church picks up the legacy
and makes this their new home,
and reaches out to the community in ways we no longer could.
You know, in scripture, we find passages that remind us to remember…
to remember the stories of the ancestors, to remember who we once were,
to remember we are the people of God, to remember what God has done for us, to remember Jesus.
The memories shape us.
However, sometimes the memories trap us.
When we hold on too tightly to our memories of the way things once were,
we can strangle the life out of our faith.
Those would be the times when in scripture God speaks through a prophet saying something like:
“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
Part of living as faithful followers of Christ,
is risking stepping forward into the unknown,
open to the new thing God is doing,
leaving the familiar to wander through the wilderness,
even when we have no idea where we’re going,
learning to trust God to lead us and reshape us, and recreate us.
“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation:
everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Cor 5:17)
I’ll leave you with the words of Rev. Ballantyne:
“Let us, then, resolve to hold fast that which was good in the past,
and press forward to the great adventure ahead,
exercising the same kind of courage, devotion and faith found in our fathers.”
Let us all, with Christ as our guide, press forward with both memory and hope.
No matter where we are, we can remember the words of Jesus:
“Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
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